Wrench with head hinged on the shaft and with reversible ratchet mechanism



ay H. DISTLER WRENCH WITH HEAD HINGED ON THE SHAFT AND WITH REVERSIBLE RATCHET MECHANISM Filed Aug. 24 1925 Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS DISTLER, OF FEUERBAGH, NEAR STUTTGART, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM SPEZIAL-WERKZEUG-EABRIK FEUERBAGH-G. M. B. 1-1., OF FEUERBACH, GER- WRENCH WITH HEAD HINGED ON THE SHAFT AND WITH REVERSIBLE RATCHET MECHANISM.

Application filed August 24, 1925, Serial No. 52,166, and in Germany December 20, 1924.

\Vrenches have become known in which a head is connected with a shaft by an adjustable joint, a feed mechanism reversible for movement in right or left direction being arranged in the head. It has further become known to arrange in feed mecha nisms of the type mentioned the pawls. which have an inclined back, in the head parallel to the axis of rotation in a circle around the same and to hold them by means of pressure springs in engagement with corresponding notches in the joint. In order to effect the reversing the straight sides of one set of pawls are turned to the right and those of the other set of pawls are turned to the left only the pawls of one set coming in engagement with the notches, the pawls of the other set being held in inoperative position by a convenient element, for instance an adjusting ring.

According to the invention all the pawls of the feed mechanism are turned in the same direction and engage with the notches of the feed mechanism. By means of the adjusting ring all the pawls are reversed at the same time for reversing the direction of movement. With this object in view the pawls have on part of their circumference teeth with which engage teeth in the inner surface of the adjusting ring. When the adjusting ring is rotated the toothed pawls roll upon the inner teeth of the adjusting ring and rotate around their axles of about 180 so that the pawls adopt a positlon 0pposite the previous position.

An embodiment of the invention is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section.

Figs. 2 and 3 show in plan view the feeding mechanism in the position for movement in right hand direction or left hand direction respectively.

In the head piece 0 rotatably connected to the joint element 6 by a screw (1 a number of feed pawls f are arranged. These feed pawls consist each of a bolt f shiftably mounted in one of a number of bores which are arranged in the head piece 0 in a circle around the central axis ofthe same. The bolts 7 are permanently pressed upward by the action of pressure springs g,'and the upper ends of said bolts engage with notches 72 arranged in the lower end'face of the joint element 1), and adapted to be brought into register with the bores in the'head piece.

The upper portion of the bolts f is bevelled on one side and said bolts have grooves 7 in a portion of their circumference. a tooth being formed by every two consecutive grooves. With these grooves i engage teeth t: on the inner circumference of an adjusting ring a.

The bevelled portion of the bolts 7, which serve as feed pawls, stand all perpendicularly to the radii of the head piece, similar to the inclined sides of'the teeth of a ratchet wheel.

When the head piece 0 is in the position of rest and the hinged element?) is rotated with theaid of the shaft (1 so that it moves in the Y direction of the inclinedsides of the bolts or feed pawls f, the rearward edges of the notches in the joint element 6 will be gradually shifted upwards on the inclined faces of the bevelled portions of the feed pawls so that these pawls are pressed into the bores in the head piece, until the next following notch h in the joint element In stands perpendicularly above theicorresponding bolt or feed pawl 7 so that this bolt or feed pawl can be brought, by the pressure of spring g, into engagement with the corresponding notch h.

When the joint element b is rotated in opposite direction the straight sides ofthe bolts or feed pawls 7 will bear against the inner wall of the notches h in the joint element, and as the bolts or feed pawls f can no longer give way in downward direction the head piece 0 is rotated together with the joint element b. j 4

If the direction of rotation of the head piece 0 has to be reversed, the bolts f or'feed pawls have previously to be rotated around their axes. so that the bevelled portions stand in a. position opposite to the previous position.

This is effected by gpieans of the adjusting ring e, the inner teet'ii of which engage with the grooves 71 of the bolts or feed pawls f so that the bolts are rotated in the same direction as the head piece if said head piece is being rotated. Y

The inner teeth of the adjusting ring e exor pawl rotate 180. The portion-between.

these toothed portions are smooth and the ends of the smooth portions limit the rotation of the adjusting ring and consequently of the bolts or feed pawls.

I claim j 1. A Wrench comprising in combination a shaft, a head piece, a joint element having notches and connecting said head piece with said shaft, an adjusting ring between said head piece and said joint element, teeth on the inner surface of said adjusting ring,

' pawls pivotably arranged on said head piece parallel to the axis of the same and-in a circle around this axis. and teeth on said pawls and meshing with said teeth of said adjusting ring so that whensaid adjusting ring is rotated said pawls are swung 180 around their axes.

2. A wrench comprising in combination a shaft, a head piece, a joint element having notches and connecting said head piece with said shaft, toothed pawls pivotally arranged in said head piece parallel to and in a circle around the axis of said head piece, an adjusting ring between said head piece and said joint element, and groups of teeth on the inner surface of said adjusting ring one group for each pawl and meshing With the teeth of said pawls so that when said adjust- In testimony whereof I affix my slgnature.

HANS D'ISTLER. 

